Montvale resident charged with theft by deception and conspiracy

A Montvale resident and two other individuals tied to a conspiracy involving theft were indicted by a Bergen County Grand Jury, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli announced on Jan. 28.

Fugitive Demetris Michalaki, 42, of Montvale, has been charged with one count of conspiracy, three counts of theft by deception and six counts of uttering forged documents. His alleged accomplice, George Trantides, the second fugitive, 35, of Astoria, N.Y., was charged with one count of aggravated arson and one count of criminal mischief. Nanette Vignapiano, 45, of Sparta, surrendered to the Bergen County Superior Court on Jan. 25 and was charged with one count of conspiracy, three of theft by deception and five counts of uttering forged documents.

The investigation, conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office White Collar Crimes Unit and Major Crimes-Arson Unit, found that Michalaki provided Bank of America with an altered deed and sent a fraudulent letter authorizing the sale of a Montvale property — to which he was reportedly residing — to his father for a dollar without the permission and knowledge of the owner, the prosecutor's office said. Vignapiano, a real estate agent for Weichert Realty, allegedly attempted to sell the property to cheat the bank. Bank of America notified the actual property owner of the deed's change, according to the press release.

A second investigation was conducted on the home on Feb. 12, 2012 after the property owner warned Trantidis, the alleged unauthorized tenant, to flee the premises, the prosecutor's office said. The prosecutor's office alleges that Trantidis had vandalized the residence and started an active fire from a damaged gas valve on the furnace.

A final investigation revealed that Vignapiano allegedly took part in a fraudulent sale of a Paterson home that she purchased in 2002 and sold for $415,000 in October 2007 to a third party straw buyer who was unaware of the sale. Vignapiano, the prosecutor's office said, had received rent from the Paterson Housing Authority's Section 8 program until March 2009. The Paterson Housing Authority rental records revealed Michalaki was fraudulently added to the deed for the property in 2009. The altered deed was submitted to the Paterson Housing Authority for Section 8 rental payments, which were made to Michalaki until January 2012, the prosecutor's office said.

Judge Liliana S. DeAvilia set Vignapiano's bail at $25,000 with a 10 percent option. The cases remain under investigation.